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1932.35.15

Voice disguiser in human form with brass body, bone tube as neck and clay head. [MJD 10/09/2013]

1932.35.15

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Collection type
Object
Description
Voice disguiser in human form with brass body, bone tube as neck and clay head. [MJD 10/09/2013]
Long description
Voice disguiser in human form with brass body, bone tube as neck and clay head. The brass body has arms, legs, prominent navel and male genitalia. Bone tube, inserted in upper aperture of brass tube, as neck. The clay head is covered with Abrus precatorius seeds. Abrus precatorius seeds are imbedded in clay along the back of brass tube. Cast brass globular bell-shaped jingles around neck, suspended on string. The brass tube had a hole in the centre. The aperture at the bottom of the tube is open. [MJD 10/09/2013]
Geographical reference
Nigeria
Africa > Western Africa > Nigeria
Benue Abinsi
Cultural groups
Tiv
Date / Period
Date made: Before 1932
Date collected
By 1932
Acquisition information
Donated: 08/1932 Bequeathed: 1939, uncertain
Materials and processes
Material Animal Bone, Material Pottery, Material Brass Metal, Material Plant Seed, Material Abrus Precatorius Seed Plant, Process Fire-Hardened, Process Lost Wax Cast, Process Decorated
Dimensions
Width: max 40 mm, Length: max 172 mm
Object numbers
Accession number: 1932.35.15 Other numbers: Balfour 435 Other PRM accession number: 1938.34.435
Research and responses

This voice disguiser was looked at by Dr Nicholas Marquez-Grant, lecturer in Forensic Anthropology at Cranfield University. His opinion is that the bone is not human. Not femur, tibia, fibia, and wrong cross section to be humerous - so confident that this is not human remains.

Search terms: Music, Figure, Religion, Musical Instrument, Voice Disguiser, Religious Object

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